Oct 12, 2018

Short Time 1973 NL Champion Mets Pitcher: John Strohmayer (1973)

John Emery Strohmayer was born October 13, 1946 in Belle Fourche, South Dakota. The tall six foot one right hander attended the University of the South Pacific in Stockton California. He was drafted first by the Oakland A’s, then taken as a Rule V player, by the expansion Montreal Expos in 1969. He debuted with the Expos in 1970 going 3-1 with a 4.86 ERA as a reliever in 41 games. The Expos made him a starter the next season & he went 7-5 with a 4.34 ERA. In 1973 they placed him on waivers in that July he was picked up by the New York Mets to help out a struggling bull pen. Strohmayer made his Mets debut on July 16th, pitching in relief of Jerry Koosman in a 8-6 in Atlanta to the Braves. He made four more appearances that month with a rough outing on July 26th. In that game he surrendered six runs to the St. Louis Cardinals in a 18-1 Mets debacle. He made three more appearances in August & did not make the post season roster. On the year in seven games with the Mets he finished three games allowing nine runs in ten innings of work with an 8.10 ERA. He spent almost all of 1974 at AAA Tidewater going 2-4 with a 3.45 ERA, in 39 games. He appeared in one game with the Mets that season but arm injuries ended his career at just 28 years old. In a five year career he was 11-9 with a 4.46 ERA, striking out 200 batters in 312 innings over 142 games.

Retirement: After baseball he became a school teacher in California. He eventually reached the Superintendent level, retiring in 2009 after 32 years in the profession.